The present invention relates generally to railway pneumatic brake systems and, more specifically, to an interface between a conventional locomotive control system and a train of electrically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brake equipped cars and wired distributed power (WDP) equipped locomotives.
An electrically controlled pneumatic (ECP) train is a train that is equipped with an intra-train communication (ITC) network linking brake control devices installed on cars and locomotives (vehicles) throughout the train. The primary function of the ECP system is to provide control and monitoring of train braking. A wired distributed power (WDP) train is a train that is equipped with locomotive control modules (LCMs) that provide the ability to control the traction and brake systems on remotely located locomotives via the ITC network. The primary function of the WDP system is to provide control and monitoring of locomotive traction and braking.
While a consist is physically adjacent locomotives, a multiple unit (MU) consist is a continuous block of physically adjacent locomotives that have been tied together by coupling the intra-locomotive electrical cables and pneumatic hoses thereby allowing the traction and braking of all locomotives in the consist to be controlled as one combined unit. An MU Controlled unit is a locomotive that receives its standard locomotive commands from the MU electric and pneumatic signals.
The freight train industry in the United States and other American Association of Railroads (AAR) countries are transitioning from a completely pneumatically-controlled train to a train having ECP brake equipment on their cars. For the foreseeable future, not all locomotives will have the capability of interfacing with an ECP equipped train. They do not have the ability to provide the necessary electrical power or electric control signals to the individual cars nor to control the brake pipe as required by the ECP cars. As presently configured ECP, the train brake pipe is maintained at its charged value and is only used as a pneumatic back-up for failure of the ECP electrical control signals.
To meet this demand, various systems have been suggested. A limp-in control arrangement for ECP systems is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,913. An interface which provides the appropriate level of electrical power to the ECP train line from the MU electrical power line is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,217,126. A locomotive to ECP brake conversion system which provides the appropriate electrical power from the MU electrical power line and control signals to the car train line from the brake pipe are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,980 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,676,229.
With the advent of distributed power, the movement of longer, heavier trains has become a reality. Train operation has also been greatly improved by the addition of ECP technology which has coupled electronic train brake and distributed power. As detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,972,670, these technologies require the use of specialized locomotives, equipped with the required equipment. At least one ECP/WDP equipped locomotive is required in each consist. Locomotive availability, specific placement within the train, as well as the specific unit moves place a heavy burden on railroad operations to prepare a train for service.
Radio distributed power systems have been used prior to and with ECP trains. The ability to use non distributed power equipped locomotives on ECP trains has been limited to being in a consist with an ECP/WDP equipped locomotive.
Thus, the current technology requires the permanent installation of ECP and WDP control equipment on a given locomotive. As a result, the operating railroad will require specialize locomotives having ECP and WDP capability. This creates logistical problems in that these locomotives must first be available and then, they must be moved to a location where needed. Alternatively, the operating railroad could chose to equip all of their locomotives with this technology. In each case, these options could be costly to the railroad.
The present train is connected to provide WDP using at least one standard locomotive consist. The train includes a first, for example lead, locomotive separated from a second, for example remote, locomotive by a plurality of cars; and a communication train line connected to the locomotive and cars and extending through the train. Each of the locomotives has a propulsion system, a propulsion controller to control the propulsion system in response to one of operator propulsion signal and MU propulsion signal, and a multi-unit communication line and connector for communicating control signals, including the MU propulsion signal, with an adjacent locomotive. At least the first locomotive is connected to the communication train line of an adjacent car by the multi-unit connector of the first locomotive to one of receive and transmit the MU propulsion signals via the communication train line.
Both of the first and second locomotives may be connected to the communication train line of an adjacent car by the multi-unit connector of the locomotive to one of receive and transmit the MU propulsion signals via the communication train line.
The train includes a propulsion interface device connecting the multi-unit connector of the first locomotive to the communication train line of the adjacent car and converting the MU propulsion signal between formats of the communication train line and the multi-unit communication line. The second locomotive includes a wired distributed power system for transmitting and receiving a WD propulsion signals via the communication train line. The propulsion interface device converts between MU propulsion signals and WD propulsion signals; and the propulsion system of the second locomotive is responsive to received WD propulsion signals.
The cars may include electro-pneumatic brakes connected to the communication train line. One of the locomotives includes a brake controller connected to and transmitting braking signals on the communication train line. Each of the locomotives includes a brake controller connected to and sending pneumatic braking signals on a brake pipe that extends through the train. A brake interface may be connected to the brake pipe and the communication train line for monitoring the brake pipe and transmitting braking signals on the communication train line.
The present interface device is for connecting a conventional locomotive at its multi-unit connector to a communication train line of an adjacent car. The interface device includes a first interface for matting with a multi-unit connector and a second interface for matting with a communication train line. A translating device is connected between the first and second interfaces for translating MU propulsion signal between formats of the communication train line and the multi-unit communication line. The translating device also converts between MU propulsion signals and WDP propulsion signals. The interface device may be portable or permanently connected to a locomotive or an adjacent car.
These and other aspects of the present method will become apparent from the following detailed description of the method, when considered in conjunction with accompanying drawings.